RESOLUTION NO. 250420
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Sponsor: Councilmember Kevin O'Neill
RESOLUTION - Supporting the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1's appeal for living wages and benefits for area janitors who are essential workers.
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WHEREAS, the poverty rate for the City of Kansas City is 15 percent which is above the national poverty rate of 11 percent; and
WHEREAS, according to a 2025 report issued by Zillow, housing costs have risen dramatically since 2020 with home values in Kansas City currently 47 percent higher and home rental costs currently 38 percent higher thus adding additional price pressures on working families; and
WHEREAS, the Kansas City metropolitan area has historically been one of the most economically and racially segregated in the nation. Black residents in the Kansas City region are 3 times more likely to live in poverty than Whites. Hispanic residents in Kansas City region are 2 times more likely to live in poverty than Whites. Furthermore, black and brown workers comprise the majority of the janitorial membership of SEIU Local 1 in Kansas City; and
WHEREAS, on November 5, 2024, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition A which increases the minimum wage to $15/hour by 2026 and thereafter increases it through cost-of-living adjustments while also providing for the first time ever paid sick leave for workers; and
WHEREAS, the Kansas City Council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 210685 on September 23, 2021, to provide fair compensation and a path to a living wage by paying City employees a minimum wage of $15 per hour; and
WHEREAS, essential workers like janitors have worked continuously to keep buildings in the Kansas City metropolitan area clean and safe for public use since the COVID-19 pandemic; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
That the Mayor and Council hereby support the SEIU Local 1's appeal to the owners of buildings in the City of ...
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